Herters ammo in Ruger Mini-30

Anybody used Herters in the Mini-30? Thinking about getting one but I'm curious how it runs with the cheapest of the cheap. My Mini-14 works fine with Wolf, but I don't want to assume the Mini-30 is the same.

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351 WINCHESTER

January 23, 2013, 10:31 PM

Isn't Herter's made in Russia? If so it's steel case. I think it's worth a shot (no pun intended).

mberoose

January 23, 2013, 10:40 PM

Herter's x39 is Tula. Just run it, at worst you'll have light primer strikes because of the harder primer. Some 30s do, some 30s don't, but there's fixes for it (in the form of a $7 Wolf extra power spring).

The large majority of problems I've heard about with Herter's/Wolf/Tula ammo revolves around the AR platform. My old Mini-14 had no problems with any of it, nor does my buddy's Mini-30.

adelbridge

January 24, 2013, 12:01 AM

it works perfectly

batmann

January 24, 2013, 10:24 AM

The sicking problem in AR type rifles is not from the coating on the ammo, but the steel case does not expand like brass and leaves your chamber really, really dirty.
The Mini-30 is a very good rifle, but to shoot steel case is hit and miss, but an easy fix.

Ruger has changed their minds on the steel cased ammo and no longer recommends it. Berdan-primed steel cased ammo will eventually break firing pins in the Mini-30 (and a few Mini-14s) and you will have to send the rifle to Ruger to be fitted with a new one. The aftermarket ones are reported to be inferior and will eventually break, too.
In the midst of this panic-buying frenzy and factories swamped with orders you might have to wait a good long while to get it back. Stick with brass-cased ammo if you can afford it.

With 7.62x39 steel case I doubt you'll have trouble with stuck cases. This is due to the pronounced taper of the case. It's more of a problem with 5.56 which has almost a straight case wall. It's really not a Mini vs. AR thing. You are right that there are a lot of complaints about Herters stuck cases but IIRC it's 5.56/.223.

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